


Heart Seeker

by CitlaliMonster



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Denial, Eventual Romance, F/F, Femslash, Lyrium Addiction, Lyrium Withdrawal, Slavery, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-02 20:12:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5261939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CitlaliMonster/pseuds/CitlaliMonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fugitive slave from Tevinter finds herself drawn to the Inquisition and its Nevarran Seeker, and the Seeker drawn to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arrival

Like cattle the faithful came in herds, and the elf watched silently from her perch in a fluffy evergreen tree nearby. Haven. That was the only place they could be going. She listened in intently, vivid cerulean eyes almost glowing in the darkness

“Yeah, they’re starting an Inquisition. The Right Hand and the Left-”

“Seeker Pentaghast and Sister Leliana? That’s crazy talk.”

“Then why are you going to Haven? If you don’t believe it’s them, I mean.”

None of that banter interested her, she had the information she needed. She dropped out of the tree into the snow, slipping down to the road softly, blending into the next group of travelers with relative ease. She had seen what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The explosion that tore a hole in the sky, demons careening out of it, the rifts that began to open. She knew whatever it was, it was bad news for everyone – including herself. Her cloak was drawn tightly around herself and her hood up as she walked, her lithe body and short stature hiding her almost completely among the humans.

No one spoke to her as they trod closer to Haven, the gates quickly in sight. Men were barking orders, soldiers were training near tents. People in official-looking uniforms were splitting the new arrivals into groups; the elf got shuffled off into a group of soldier recruits. With a sigh, she shifted her weight, the man in front of the group reading over some orders before addressing them.

“You will address me as Lieutenant! I will be assessing your skill levels and grouping you from there to be trained. If any of you show any exceptional skill, I will let the Commander know and you will be tested again and grouped accordingly. Let’s start with you!” the man pointed to a scared-looking farmhand.

The boy walked forward, grabbing the sword from the soldier that offered it. The elf could tell he was not practiced, he was shaking at the knees. The Lieutenant lunged, and the sword was knocked from the boy’s hands. The older man shook his head, sending him back into the group and looking straight at the elf.

“You. You’re next.” he said, his curiosity obvious in his voice. She never dropped her hood, merely stepped forward, pushing aside the sword they offered to her.

“Suit yourself.” the lieutenant said, lunging at her. In that moments she appeared to vanish, drawing her daggers as she did; she came into view behind the man, sweeping at his legs with her blades. He stumbled, whipping around – but she was two steps ahead. Behind him once more, she kicked at the back of his knee. The knee buckled, sending him to the ground with a grunt. He swung at her. She deflected the strike with one dagger and brought the other to his neck with one fluid motion, a smirk on her face under the hood. The lieutenant dropped his sword in a show of surrender.

“You’re impressive. Do you have a name, kid?” he asked, incredulous as the elf pulled her dagger away from his throat and tugged her hood down.

“Vex. Just Vex.” she said, her accent a cross between heavy Dalish and Tevene. The lieutenant’s cheeks flushed when he realized his opponent was a woman, and an elf at that.

“You wait here, I need to go talk to Commander Rutherford.” he ordered, marching off almost gleefully. The other recruits murmured behind her as she sheathed her blades, awkwardly awaiting her fate.

The lieutenant returned promptly, a tall man with thick brown animal fur covering his shoulders coming up behind him. His blonde hair was styled on his head, and a scar shown prominently across his lips. His weary brown eyes watched her with interest, approaching her curiously.

“The lieutenant says you have some skill with your blades; I would like to test you myself. My name is Cullen Rutherford, I am the Commander of the Inquisition’s forces.” he introduced himself with a bow. Vex nodded to him, casting her cloak aside, dark black hair cascading down over her collar bone and breast on the unshaven side of her head.

“Vex.” she responded simply.

“I’d like to do a full assessment on your ability, if that would be okay with you.” he said, inclining his head; it was more of an order than a question. She nodded in response as he drew his sword, reaching for her own weapons.

Vex gripped the handles of her daggers tightly, not drawing them as the two combatants circled, sizing each other up. He watched her in the same way she watched him, looking for any weakness in each other to exploit. Eventually, the elf was the one who made the first move, lunging forward. Cullen’s eyes widened as he watched her move, and even more as she passed _directly through him_. Her tattoos were glowing lyrium blue when he whirled around to block her strike. He had seen this before, but _where_? There wasn’t time to think much on it, as she came at him relentlessly fast. Recruits and trainees had begun to form a ring around the two, watching their Commander duke it out with this newcomer. He was secretly glad she wasn’t truly fighting him – he wasn’t sure he could handle her for too much longer. A seasoned warrior though he was, ceasing taking lyrium was having adverse effects on his body.

He blocked her strikes with precision, eventually managing to throw her off balance with a hard shove with his sword. Before she could scramble back to her feet, his sword was against her neck. Chests heaving, they both nodded to each other, Cullen offering her a hand up.

“You’re damned impressive. I don’t even know what I’d do with you, truthfully. But we can use you. Why don’t you find a place to camp, and I’ll talk to Seeker Pentaghast when she returns. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Vex nodded to him, sheathing her blades and tossing her cloak over her shoulder. The Commander was skilled, that fight took a lot more out of her than it should have. Making her way up to the open gate, she glanced around at the small town they had set themselves up in. Haven was really not much more than some wooden buildings and a Chantry. Not too impressive by her standards, but nevertheless more of a home than she’d had in years. In her musing, she had found her way up to the Chantry. She gazed up at the stone building, only half aware that someone was watching her.

“Can I help you?” asked a woman hooded in purple, red hair peeking out from beneath. Vex shook her head.

“Commander Cullen said I’m to wait until the Seeker returns. They’d find somewhere for me to fit in. My name is Vex.”

The woman looked her over, and Vex felt a blush creeping over her tanned olive skin.

“You must be exceedingly skilled if Cullen is bringing Cassandra into it. I am Sister Leliana, the Spymaster here. Welcome to the Inquisition.”

~

Two days passed in calm silence, Vex spending most of her time lounging on top of the Chantry to avoid too much notice. She barely even registered that anything had changed when four people she didn’t know paraded up to the stone building, tailed by the Commander and Sister Leliana. Vex was in the middle of a particularly good nap when they began to discuss her on the ground below.

“What do you mean ‘exceedingly skilled’? Nearly besting you is no challenge.” came a voice, accent distinctly Nevarran.

“Cassandra, she’s better than any of my lieutenants. I can’t use her.” Cullen said, rubbing the back of his neck, “But we can’t just tell her to leave, we need skilled warriors.”

“I don’t believe you. I will have to test her myself.” Cassandra responded, raising an eyebrow, “Where is she?”

Cullen blinked at her as if the question didn’t register at first, then glanced around. Leliana giggled as she walked past them.

“If memory serves, she’s spent most of her time on the roof of the Chantry.” the Left Hand crooned, pointing up at the elf. Cullen sighed, and Cassandra scowled at him disapprovingly.

“The least you could do is keep track of your recruits.” she scolded, looking up at where Vex had been a moment ago.

“Right here.” the elf waved, coming out from the cluster of trees. She had gotten decently quick at scaling the wall.

Cassandra regarded her suspiciously, motioning for her to follow. “I am Cassandra Pentaghast, Seeker of the Chantry. I will be testing your abilities as well. It is not that I do not trust the Commander’s judgment, but to properly place you among us I must see first hand what he saw.”

Vex’s eyes were drawn to her; something in the way she moved and the way she spoke was magnetic. She was having trouble thinking of things to say, but the nearer they grew to the training grounds, the more Vex realized speaking was futile anyway. The Seeker seemed to be a woman of few words, allowing actions to speak louder. She pulled her shield off her back and drew her sword, motioning for Vex to join her. The elf obliged, drawing her blades, twirling them in her hand as Cassandra stalked around her. Vex lunged first, ghosting through the warrior and swinging at her back. The shield was thrown back to block the strike, then shoved to knock the elf off balance. She stumbled, catching herself on one knee. Looking up, she saw Cassandra above her, their blades connecting when Vex raised hers to block. The Seeker smirked, bringing her shield down to swing. Vex rolled backwards, shoving herself away from Cassandra in an attempt to cause her to lose balance this time. She was successful, but Cassandra only stumbled forward slightly, and regained her footing quickly. She lunged forward again, with renewed fervor, Vex going low to dodge a shield strike and blocking her blade as she went for a low sweep. The elf flourished her daggers, jumping back away from a few more strikes and meeting others with her blades.

It went on for what felt like hours before the Seeker prevailed. Cassandra used a false swing with her blade as a distraction, Vex blocking that with both daggers. The shield was what caught her enough to knock her down, and the Seeker was on her in a flash. She pressed her weight against Vex’s chest, sitting with her blade against the elf’s throat. Both of their chests heaved, both of their bodies quaked, both of their eyes met. In that moment, a fire started in both of them – a fire that would only grow stronger with time and denial. Cassandra scrambled off her, offering a hand up after sheathing her sword. Vex took it hesitantly.

“I want you working directly with the Herald. You are impressive, and I believe you will make an excellent addition to the Inquisition.” Cassandra praised her once she was re-situated on her feet, “I look forward to fighting with you. No, that wasn’t what I meant. Fighting beside you.”

Vex noted the tinge of pink in the Seeker’s cheeks when she corrected herself, before she abruptly turned to walk away and begin to aggressively hit the training dummies. Her own cheeks were a touch flushed, only growing more red while she watched Cassandra. A light tap on her shoulder brought her back suddenly from the distraction.

“She’s an incredible fighter, no? That she’s assigned you to the Herald directly is a testament to your own strength. Try not to disappoint her.” Leliana said, seeming to appear from nowhere, “You should have your weapons and armor repaired before they call you for a mission. I’ll take you to the smithy, if you’d like?”

Vex reluctantly tore her eyes from the Nevarran warrior, nodding at the Spymaster. “Yes, that sounds perfect. Ma serranas.”


	2. Tents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2, in which the Herald begins to ship her own squad members.

It wasn’t long before she was called upon for a mission, despite the new recruits that the Inquisition had gained since the visit to Val Royeaux. Vex had made a habit of relaxing on top of Haven’s gate to watch the recruits – at least that was the lie she told Cullen. It was in that very spot that she first met the Herald of Andraste, Aria Lavellan.

“Nice day.” came the sing-song voice of the Herald from below her, startling her from watching Cassandra on the dummies.

“Yeah. What can I do for you, your Worship?”

“Oh, by Mythal don’t you start calling me that too.” she said, exasperated, “I’ve had about enough of that title already.”

When Vex looked down at her, the shock must have been evident on her face as the Herald responded with a laugh. “Aria is fine, friend. I heard you gave both Cullen and Cassandra a run for their money on the field. I was hoping you’d come along with Cassandra, Solas, and myself to visit with the rebel mages in Redcliffe. By the Dread Wolf, would it be nice to have some elven company.”

“It would be a pleasure, Aria. I’ve been kicking around with nothing to do for days.” Vex piped up immediately, jumping down from the top of the gate – much to the horror of everyone watching.

“Really? And watching the Seeker smack those training dummies around every day counts as nothing I suppose?” Aria asked, a teasing edge to her words.

Vex’s cheeks flushed.

“I’ve been watching the recruits-”

“You’re lying. You were out here last night after the recruits went to sleep.”

“H-how did you-?”

Aria chuckled, her shoulder-length raven hair dancing around as her shoulders bounced with amusement.

“I came out for some air, you were so absorbed in watching you didn’t even notice me. I can understand, she’s quite the specimen. For a shem, anyway.”

Vex’s eyes locked with Aria’s pure silver ones. They were piercing, starkly contrasted by the black vallaslin of June on her porcelain white skin. Her lips were painted black, matching the thick black makeup that was perfectly lined around her eyes. Aria’s mere presence was ethereal. Vex swallowed hard.

“She’s… fascinating. That’s all.” she lied, trying to cover the flush on her cheeks by turning away.

“Ha! I promise I won’t say anything. It’ll just make the tent assignments easier.” she winked, turning around and waving Cassandra down. Vex nearly choked on air when the Seeker got closer, the sun in a halo around the braid that ran across her head. She was beautiful in that light, tan skin glistening from her hard practice routines.

“Herald, what can I do for you?” she asked, eyes flicking over to Vex momentarily.

“I will be bringing Vex on our next mission, see that she’s supplied properly. We’re going to talk to the mages in Redcliffe. I will handle Solas.” Aria said, almost too cheerfully with a wink, “You will be sharing a tent.”

Vex wanted to shrink into the farthest hole away from where she was presently. Of all the things she could have found joining this Inquisition, she had _not_ expected to find herself crushing on a human.

~

The party was still pretty far out from Redcliffe when it got too dark to continue. Aria asked Vex to help her pitch the tents while Cassandra was off gathering wood for a fire, and the questions started once more.

“So, where are you from?” Aria asked, straightening the flap of her tent.

“Originally? Ferelden. I was taken by slavers when I was young, and spent the better part of my life in the Imperium.” Vex responded, her voice level and emotionless.

“You were a slave? But now you’re free?”

“Yeah. Kind of obvious, that.”

“How did you escape?”

Vex cringed at the question, looking away from her and rubbing a crease out of the tent. “There was a rebellion. And I ran.”

Aria looked at her, eyes full of pity. She knew the look well. It was the same look anyone gave her when she mentioned she was a slave. Vex’s markings began to glow, emotion falling over her.

“I’d… prefer not to talk about it.”

Aria nodded, now a bit more preoccupied with her glowing. She opened her mouth to speak, but the presence of the elven apostate drew her attention away. Solas chatted pleasantly with her, leaving Vex to do what she willed. Which, at that moment, was climb a tree. It was refreshing to be out on the road again, discovering new paths. She scaled the ironbark tree with expert precision, perching among its highest branches. Drawing in a deep breath, she scanned the horizon, basking in the glow of the waxing moon and its cloak of stars. This was where she belonged, standing tall above the canopy of the forest, in the darkness of the night. In these moments, she felt so… alive.  
Hearing something crunch below her, she looked down to see the Seeker looking up at her, a quizzical expression on her face.

“Vex, what are you doing up there?” she inquired loudly, moving to get a better look at the elf. Vex dropped a few branches down, swiftly making her way to the lowest branches and crouching there, still above Cassandra’s head.

“Scouting, I suppose.” Vex responded, watching her intently. Cassandra tilted her head, curious.

“You enjoy high places, don’t you?”

“They make me feel free.” she said, smiling. The Seeker smiled back at her, and her heart leapt to her throat instantaneously; her smile was beautiful. Vex rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “I don’t suppose you know much about me, so it may not make sense why that’s important to me.”

Cassandra shook her head, the smile still vaguely there. “I understand enough. I, too, desired freedom once. Freedom from a gilded cage that I so despised. This was the life I found, the life I chose. I find it admirable that you were able to seek and attain your freedom, no matter what you were seeking it from.”

Vex felt herself blush, trying to hide her face behind a branch. What was she supposed to say to that? She wasn’t exactly used to compliments. Should she compliment her back? She settled on that idea, swallowing hard.

“I, um, thank you. You’re sort of a force of nature on the field, you know that?”  
Cassandra didn’t know how to respond at first. She shifted a bit, moving the wood under her other arm.

“When I have to be.” she finally responded.

“I didn’t mean, I-I meant it’s impressive.” Vex stammered out, the back of her mind screaming for her to abort mission.

“You flatter me.” Cassandra said after a few moments of pause, smiling once more, her cheeks flushing.

“I was trying.” Vex draped herself upside down off the branch, her face not even a foot away from Cassandra’s. The Seeker was smiling, even as she rolled her eyes and groaned in a disgusted fashion.

“Come on, we need to get back to camp, lest the Herald freeze to death.” she said, walking past Vex dangling from the tree. Vex dropped down and followed her back, her eyes never drifting from the woman in front of her. Aria noticed her distraction, evidently, because she ran up and grabbed her just before Vex’s face met a low-hanging branch.

“You might want to watch where you’re walking instead.” Aria scolded jokingly, winking before going over to help Cassandra with the wood. Vex’s stomach was in knots, and she elected to excuse herself to the tent rather than sit by the fire.

Aria sat beside Cassandra as Solas stoked the fire, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as the Seeker stared into the fire silently.

“Deep thoughts, Seeker?” the Herald inquired, smirking deviously. Cassandra responded with a disgusted groan.

“My thoughts are none of your business.”

“Are they about Vex?” she pried farther, resting her chin in her hand.

Cassandra didn’t answer for a time, eventually sighing and folding her hands beneath her chin.

“She is a strong warrior, worthy of admiration. I do not know much more than that about her.”

“She was a slave. In Tevinter.” Aria said, watching for a reaction in her face. She was rewarded with a pitying side glance.

“She hadn’t told me.”

“There’s a lot she hasn’t told you. Why don’t you get to know her if you admire her so much?”

Cheeks flushed, Cassandra hopped up and excused herself from the presence of the two elves. They began to converse about the Fade quickly after she left them, crawling inside the tent and flopping back on the bedroll. She laid there for a minute, looking over at the sleeping form of the elf beside her before starting to shimmy out of her armour. She tried to be as quiet as possible, eventually ending in a thin tunic and skin-tight breeches when she slipped into the bedroll.

Vex began to shiver a bit, even under her blanket. Reaching back, Cassandra grabbed her cloak and laid it over the quaking elf, shifting herself a bit closer with a blush on her cheeks. There was no harm in this, right? Vex was cold, and Cassandra couldn’t have her freezing to death overnight. With that justification, the Seeker’s eyes drifted shut, and the elf’s fingers curled around the cloak like a child’s around a plush toy – her lungs filled with the scent of denial and desire.


	3. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3, in which we discover that Aria is lazy and Vex has an addiction.

The nightmare caught her off guard at first. A hallway of shattered mirrors, something moving behind them. She was cold, frost swirled on the glass. Catching her reflection, she saw that she was bleeding from her markings, and behind her loomed a serpent made of shadow. She began shaking, turning around. The serpent wasn’t there. She took a step back, pressing her back to the mirror. The mirror behind her shattered completely, and she fell, screaming soundlessly.

Something snatched her out of the air, holding her waist gently. She couldn’t turn around to see what it was, but a sudden calm warmth washed over her. Someone was holding her against them, an arm extended and holding a sword. She looked to the ground, the serpent lay beheaded in front of her. Spilling from the body was not blood, but liquid lyrium. She reached backwards to the person holding her, but they were gone.

Cassandra watched her as she slept, frowning. She was having a nightmare, but the manner of which reminded her of Cullen. Being off lyrium caused him horrific dreams that made his sleep, at the very least, fitful. She reached over, laying a hand on Vex’s side to try and calm her; it seemed to help, as she stopped moving so much. Letting her hand linger a moment before pulling it away, she felt her cheeks flush a little. Why was she so concerned about this elf anyway? She’d barely known her for a few weeks, and the elf generally kept to herself. Last night’s conversation was the first they’d had since she tested her. Yet, here she was, laying a bit too close for comfort. With a soft disgusted huff, she rolled into a dream as confusing as it was frustrating.

~

Vex was awake first that morning, massaging her neck. She had fallen asleep in her armour out of habit, and a cramp had settled in. Her markings hurt as well, fluctuating between an ache and stinging. It had been more than a few days since she’d used any lyrium, and the nightmares were getting worse. She reached down to her bags, pulling out a vial of lyrium. Tipping it, she watched the blue liquid roll in the glass and frowned at it. This shouldn’t still be necessary, it had been so long since the markings were healed. With a huff, she uncorked it and drank it.

Cassandra stirred as well, opening her eyes to Vex tipping the vial back. She sat up, rubbing her eyes a bit.

“Why do you take lyrium? You’re no mage.” she asked, leaning forward to grab her boots. Vex fingered the vial before stashing it away in her bag.

“The markings on my body were branded there with lyrium. They offer me the abilites you have seen, but come at the cost of constant discomfort. Taking lyrium eases it, but I’ve developed a dependence on it.” she explained herself softly, drawing her hands down her face, “And before you ask, they were not put there by choice.”

Cassandra paused for a moment, looking over at her. There was a weariness in the elf’s eyes that came from seeing and experiencing too much for one lifetime. She carried the same weariness under the hardened exterior, though she tried her best to not let it show. “Would you like to take a walk? The Herald and Solas generally sleep in, even on missions – not that I mind, of course. Usually it gives me time to destress, or read-”

The Seeker practically smacked herself in the face covering her mouth. Vex smiled, letting out a single huffed laugh.

“Reading? You enjoy reading?” she asked, baffled.

“Is it so surprising? Should I be ashamed of it?” Cassandra demanded, flustered.

“Oh- did I make it sound like that? I didn’t mean to.” the elf quickly rescued herself, “I’m just surprised someone like you enjoys reading. You seemed more like the ‘actions speak louder than words’ type.”

Cassandra’s cheeks were red with embarrassment. “My trainers always said, 'Cassandra, you are too brash. You must think before you act.’ I see what must be done and I do it. I see no point in running around in circles like a dog chasing its tail.” she paused, kneading her hands together awkwardly, “But the books, they don’t require me to make decisions. They allow me to escape, to not be the one making all the choices. I don’t have to think, or act.”

Vex took her hands, smiling wide. “I think that’s lovely. I learned to read when I was young, but it has been a very long time. I’m not very good at it. Could you help me, maybe?”

For a moment, Cassandra didn’t respond, her face flushing more as her gaze dropped to Vex holding her hands. But after a moment, she swallowed hard, nodding.

“I would enjoy that. Helping you get better at reading, I mean.” she said, smiling. Vex dropped her hands, grabbing the cloak that was draped over her and handing it back to the Seeker.

“Thank you for this, by the way.” she said, the smile finally fading from her face a bit, “I’ll meet you outside when you’re ready.”

There wasn’t a time that Vex remembered that she had scrambled out of a tent that fast. Her heart was racing, and her cheeks were completely red. This woman was going to be the death of her if she wasn’t careful. With a sigh, Vex stood by the remains of the fire, trying to push the withdrawal induced nightmare out of her mind by watching the sun rise.

Cassandra was in no better shape inside the tent, suddenly forgetting how to function. She managed to get her boots on and strapped her sword around her waist, taking a few minutes to breathe before exiting the tent. What was with her today? She had no reason to be this flustered about Vex. She was just another compatriot fighting for the causes, much like herself. Aside from her skill and ability, she was no different from someone like Varric or Sera; why was she reacting to her so foolishly? These things spun in her mind once she finally crawled out onto the grass. She looked up, her breath catching in her throat once more when she did. The elf’s slender frame and hourglass figure was cradled by the sunrise, the white markings nearly glowing in the light. It was like a scene from one of Varric’s novels. Her heart was pounding in her chest when she finally stepped forward to get Vex’s attention, motioning for her to follow.

“Come, there’s a path that leads to a ridge not far from here, the sunrise will look better from there.” The Seeker said, trying her best to keep her voice steady. The elf followed behind her, keeping pace easily as Cassandra scaled the side of a small cliff. She reached down to help Vex up once at the top, easily lifting the elf onto solid ground.

“It’s beautiful.” Vex whispered excitedly, stepping forward and sitting down. The Seeker stepped up beside her, sitting with her legs hanging over the cliff face.

“Yes it is. I enjoy getting up early enough to watch the sun rise. It is very calming.” she said, spending more time watching her companion out of her peripheral than looking at the sky. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a complete mystery that drew Cassandra’s attention. That would certainly explain her sudden fascination with her. The Seeker accepted this thought, watching her a little more obviously.

Vex, however, was lost in her own introspection; completely oblivious to the brown eyes tracing her silhouette against the brightening sky.


	4. Magister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4, in which Alexius is a dick and Cassandra shows a softer side for a second.

The rest of the trip to Redcliffe was spent in awkward sideways glances and silence. It was only when they came upon the rift outside the gate that things started to return to normal; at least, normal by Cassandra’s standards. Vex still wasn’t used to traveling with other people; she often started wandering down other paths until Aria would grab her and steer her back the right direction. While it was strange, she didn’t dislike following the Herald – it was almost a relief to not have to duck off the road every time a group passed.

The fight was quick. With combined strength of two powerful mages, a warrior, and a rogue, the few demons there were didn’t stand a chance. Solas, however, was concerned with a peculiar effect the rift seemed to have on time itself. Vex didn’t think on it much; magic wasn’t her forte, but the more he explained the implications of this magic the more on edge she became. There were only mages from one place in Thedas that would try and meddle with time, and those mages would not look on her presence with kindness. She shifted uneasily as Solas finished, casting a glance at Aria. The Herald was hanging on every word Solas said as if it were knowledge of infinite value. Vex’s eyebrow quirked. That man was trouble, and she knew it; she could feel it just by being near him. But she held her tongue, following Aria into the city once the gate opened.

Aria spoke to the mage at the gate, who confirmed Vex’s suspicions about what was behind the strange magic. A Magister from the Imperium. She bit her cheek, her entire body tensing as she gripped her daggers, following close behind Aria. Saying a quick prayer to Mythal under her breath, she tugged her hood up, the action met with a quizzical look from the Seeker.

“Is that necessary?” she asked as they arrived at the tavern, leaning against a wall and resting a hand on her sword. Vex leaned up against the wall next to her, crossing her arms.

“You never know when the sight of your face could mean life or death, Seeker.” she responded softly, eyes scanning for threats. Cassandra didn’t seem interested in pressing the matter further at that moment, considering instead the conversation that was being had between the Herald and an older elven mage.

From what Vex could gather, the woman’s name was Fiona. Previously Grand Enchanter. Everyone but herself seemed to get a bit edgy at the sight of her, and the reason why was quickly pieced together. Why would someone in her position forget to mention something as important as indenturing to a Magister? The only reasoning that she could think of was that it was an intentional oversight, Fiona’s desperate cry to be let out from inside the belly of the snake. A flash of pity skittered through her eyes before the door creaked open. Vex’s head snapped to the door to see one incredibly typical Tevinter Magister parading in. Her eyes narrowed and she tensed visibly, hand reaching down instinctively to grip a dagger. Cassandra noticed the movement, reaching across to touch her hand gently, shaking her head. The elf relaxed her grip, but her eyes never left the man.

He spoke as if his interests were purely for the cause, but the underlying insinuation was that he was lying. Vex heard little of the conversation, too busy observing those with him. The boy, his son, was acting suspiciously. With a huff, Vex excused herself outside, feeling her patience for the situation dwindling. Once she was out of the tavern, she breathed a little easier.

It wasn’t long until Alexius and his son exited, and the rest of the party followed. Cassandra glanced worriedly down at the small elf as she rejoined them, setting a hand on her shoulder.

“Does something trouble you, Vex?” she asked, frowning.

Vex shook her head, continuing to scowl into the ground. It was always the Imperium, she couldn’t escape her past no matter how hard she tried. The thought scratched at her mind and her markings began to twinge in discomfort. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a vial of lyrium and tossed it back.  
The concern in Cassandra’s eyes was obvious as Aria turned to council with her. She instead remained silent until they found a place off to the side, pulling them all in close and unfolding a note. They all read it, and all frowned in unison.

“I knew he was scum. We cannot trust him, Aria. This just confirms it. We need to get out of here.” Vex’s voice was low and panicked, “This could be a trap as much as it could be a warning.”

“But how off guard can we be caught if we walk in expecting a trap?” Aria pointed out, shrugging. Solas nodded in agreement.

“If we do not go, we could also miss out on the opportunity to discover the truth behind what’s going on here.” he added, clutching his staff. Cassandra frowned, noting how uncomfortable Vex was with this plan.

“We should still be cautious.” she advised, frowning. Aria broke up their circle and made her way up to the Chantry, everyone in tow.

When they arrived, however, something entirely different greeted them. A man, with black hair shaved on the sides and a curly mustache, fighting off a wave of demons in front of a fade rift. He turned to them once he knocked the shade down in front of him.

“Good! You’re finally here! Now help me close this, would you?”

And so they did.

~

Some time had passed since the incident with Dorian and Felix, and here they were in Redcliffe once again. Aria had begged for Vex to come along with her – after all, it was her first mission out with them that this had all started. She should see it through to the end. She glanced up at the Seeker, meeting her gaze, worry swimming in her sapphire eyes.

Cassandra set a hand on her shoulder, squeezing a little. She had grown rather close to the elf in the past few weeks, helping her to improve her reading and sparring with her. They spent a great deal of time together discussing the books Vex was reading and the state of the Inquisition, even having some friendly debate about the Chantry itself. She hated to admit it, but she was becoming particularly fond of her. Not that she was willing to admit it when Varric rolled through asking questions.

Feeling the weight of Cassandra’s hand calmed her, and she reached up to set a hand delicately on top of hers. Sparing a glance into those beautiful copper eyes, Vex smiled softly. Being with the warrior had become so natural to her. On the field they camped together, and in Haven they spent nearly every moment together. Rumors had started to fly here and there, but Cassandra had silenced them – much to Vex’s relief. Hearing Aria calling for them as she approached, Vex quickly dropped her hand and a blush crept into her cheeks. Cassandra did the same, clearing her throat awkwardly.

“You two ready?” Aria asked, raising an eyebrow. They both nodded quickly, and Aria smirked. “Then let’s go meet with Alexius.”

The meeting, of course, went sour almost instantly. Yet everything still remained in their favor, which concerned Vex a great deal. That was, until the altus Dorian Pavus showed his face again.

“You are a mistake! You should never have existed!” Alexius growled at Aria, wielding an amulet in his hand. The magic hummed around it and Dorian threw a spell out, but it was too late. A black and emerald rift in time fogged out and swallowed Aria and Dorian whole. Vex ripped her bow off her back and leveled an arrow on Alexius, cursing at him in Tevene.

“Bring them back! Bring them back now!” she demanded as the Inquisition soldiers advanced on Alexius. Cassandra was beside her, blade drawn – even Solas had his staff at the ready and appeared to be prepared for murder.

“You threaten me, slave? Oh yes, I know who you are. Did you really think you could escape notice hidden beneath a hood and behind an Inquisition banner? The Magesterium will ask me for your head, and I will bring it on a silver platter.” the Magister’s grin was wolfish beneath the red hood he wore. Vex opened her mouth to retort in Tevene, but Cassandra dove in first.

“Do not threaten a member of the Inquisition!” the Seeker’s eyes were fierce and her voice sharp, a flicker of fear casting through the Magister’s eyes as she stormed toward him, sword outstretched.

A sudden crack echoed through the hall, and the time rift opened once more, the Inquisitor and Aria returning in a cloud of black smoke. The sound stopped Cassandra in her tracks, and Alexius’ face fell. Aria stepped forward angrily, and Dorian smirked, crossing his arms.

“You’ll have to do better than that.” he teased.

Alexius fell to his knees in defeat and was arrested. Aria then turned her attention to conscripting the mages into the Inquisition, to the dismay of Fiona. Cassandra sheathed her sword and stepped back as Vex holstered her bow, the elf’s eyes focused on her. She had leapt in to defend her. A faint blush crept into her cheeks as Cassandra turned and caught her watching.

“Do you need something?” she asked, face deadpanned but with a flicker of rage remaining behind her eyes. Vex shook her head.

“No, Seeker. Nothing at all.”


	5. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5, in which Vex reveals the truth and Cassandra disappears.

There were problems with the mages in Haven from day one. The village barely had the room to contain those there, let alone a hundred mages who had been shuffling around like vagrants for the past few months. Vex had been on edge ever since they had arrived, spending more time pacing the walls and roofs of Haven than she even had with Cassandra. Everyone began to worry, even when the elf snapped at them that she was fine in a tone that surely screamed, “I hate everything that’s happening right now.”

The truth of the matter was, there was more going on than just the mages. Alexius had recognized her, and there was slaver activity nearby. She had noticed it on their return to Haven. They were getting closer to finding her, it was only a matter of time now. She could feel the breath of the men on her neck, their hands groping at her flesh, their teeth on her skin. Anger boiled in her chest, and she jumped off the gate, marching straight for the practice dummies. No one else was in sight. Good.

Pulling out her daggers, she began with a simple drill she used to warm herself up, then started into some of her signature attacks. She attacked the wooden torso, backflipping away from it and lunging at it. She ghosted through it, using the speed to throw more behind her final slice into the wood and cutting all the way through with both blades. Following through with the slice, the wood fell into three pieces, and the sudden twang of metal against metal woke her from the focused anger. Cassandra was there, sword stopping the elf from carving a piece of her off in the process. Vex pulled her blades away and sheathed them before turning to walk away.

Cassandra made a soft disgusted noise and grabbed Vex’s arm before she could get too far. The elf whirled around, about to tell her to shove it, before she saw something abnormal in those usually weary eyes. Fear. Concern. And a flicker of something yet to be identified. She straightened up.

“I need to speak with you.” she commanded, her face telling more than Vex could have asked. Cassandra lead her away, up to the Chantry and into the war room, closing the thick wooden door behind them before letting out a long held breath and taking another deep one. “I have noticed you have been too preoccupied to come see me. You spend most of your time pacing like a caged animal, everyone is starting to notice it. The Herald told me to just let it go, but… I worry, Vex. Please, tell me what is wrong.”

Vex was leaning over the map on the other side of the table, her whole body shaking. The Seeker had her trapped. She felt like she was choking, every breath she took more and more labored. When she finally looked up at Cassandra, the worry in those gorgeous eyes disarmed the elf completely.

“I was a slave from the time I was 13 or 14 years old. I was taken from my clan; I watched my father die trying to protect me. I was raped, abused, and tortured. These markings were Danarius’ final gift to me before…” she trailed off, frowning. It was do or die at this point, and with the resources at Leliana’s disposal it would not take long for them to uncover the truth about her. She swallowed hard, running a finger over the map – over the Nevarra, tracing it almost with fondness, before looking up to her and speaking again.

“There was a rebellion. I didn’t… intend for it to go as far as it did. I don’t know when it spread beyond the walls of Danarius’ estate, but it was a simple message. Rise up. Fight back. And a date. The day came, and reports came in from every corner of the Imperium: the slaves were rebelling, rising up. Fighting back.” she was shaking with anger, tears filling her eyes. “And they were cut down by the thousands. But the Magesterium didn’t care about that, they only cared about the Magisters that were felled by our hands. My hands. I alone carried the weight of their deaths.”

She punched the wooden table with enough force to actually move it. The distinct crack as the bones snapped broke the silence, blood pooling on the surface of her skin. Lifting her hand, she choked back a sob unsuccessfully, watching as her hand began to bruise. She backed against the wall, starting to sink to the floor. Cassandra rushed around the table, crouching down beside her and taking her hand to look at it, her mind still processing when finally spoke once more.

“If I had stayed, maybe I could have organized them as forces and have been successful. Maybe I could have prevented more death than I caused. That thought alone is enough to keep me up at night.” she said shakily, unable to look away from Cassandra’s inspection of her hand, “But the more important repercussion is that now the Magesterium is calling for me to answer the crime, dead or alive.”

There was a long silence as Cassandra processed what she heard, her brow furrowed in concentration as she wrapped Vex’s hand. Vex took this as a sign of disapproval, pulling her hand away and standing up, moving to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Cassandra asked, voice level. Vex didn’t turn back around, hand hovering over the doorhandle.

“Does it matter, Seeker? I’m a danger to the Inquisition. I shouldn’t be here.”

Cassandra scowled, coming around the table, “We can protect you here. You are far more likely to be captured if you are out there on your own than-”

“What don’t you get, Cassandra? I’m a fucking criminal! I’m a blemish to your name!” she hissed, finally turning to face her and taking a step forward, “All I am is a hired thug, and I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”

“Is that all you think you are? Just another soldier?” Cassandra stepped closer to her, her growing anger causing her voice to waver, “Do you think that I- the Herald wants you here just because you’re skilled on the field?”

Vex narrowed her eyes, “Does it matter why she wants me when my presence could be the downfall of everything you’re trying to preserve? And why does it matter so much to you?”

“This isn’t about me! This is about duty!”

The elf turned away from her and back to the door, hand shaking as she reached out to open it. Cassandra reacted instantly, grabbing her roughly and spinning her, pushing her back against the door.

“It is because I… I… I care about you. A great deal. You are magnificent on the field, and a delight to talk to. I confess I do not know what would become of me without you here.” Cassandra was shaking as she let go of her, stepping back a bit and wringing her hands anxiously. Vex stepped away from the door and back into the room, only for Cassandra to take off without warning past her.

Vex’s cheeks were flushed when she left the room, making her way up to the gate and spotting Cullen down with some new recruits. A figure on a horse blurred past her as she approached the commander.

“Who was that?” Vex asked, almost as if she was asking only out of courtesy.

“Cassandra. She didn’t say much of anything before she left. Just something about clearing her head.”

Down the road, Cassandra’s heart beat a mile a minute. She didn’t see the trap until her horse had already broke the tripwire, causing an explosion that threw her from his back. The horse bolted back for Haven, and a group of men in the colors of the Imperium closed in on the now wounded Seeker. The only sound heard from Haven was silence.


	6. Branded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 6, in which the author is dreadfully sorry.

“Hey Firefly, you got a second?” came the dwarf's voice from below the Chantry. Vex looked over the edge, nodding and getting up to descend from the roof. Once she was on solid ground again, she noticed the worry in Varric's eyes. Her expression immediately darkened.

“What is it?” she asked, but she already knew. Cassandra had been gone for almost a week. Everyone was getting anxious about her lack of presence, not least of all Vex. The conversation they had before Cassandra left was still ringing in her mind, and had been for days. Leliana's people had been all over the immediate area, but found no trace of her nor her horse, so it was assumed that she was fine. But the fact that she had been gone for so long, and there was no sign of struggle, was what worried her most. But the concern in Varric's face made her tense.

“Leliana's people found Cassandra's horse. Hungry, but alive. There was an arrow lodged in his flank, with a note attached. You... need to see this.” Varric rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Gesturing for him to lead, she followed after him, his silence causing her stomach to knot and grow nauseous. This couldn't be good.

They entered the back room, Dorian, Aria, Cullen, Josephine, and Leliana standing around the map, the note laying on top of it. Dorian and Cullen were scowling at the paper as if it had all the answers. Aria and Josephine exchanged glances as Vex entered, but Leliana was the first to address her.

“There are some things you have not told us, Miss Suledin.” Leliana said, her hawk-like gaze piercing the elf. Vex reached for the note on the table, her face paling as she read over the note.

_Inquisition,  
You are harboring criminal property of great value. Until you see fit to return her to her rightful masters, we will hold on to your Seeker. Every moment you tarry, she will have a new scar. We are in the old slaver cave not far from your location. Do not keep us waiting._

After the initial wave of shock, a haze of anger began to settle over her. The entire room grew colder when she slammed her fist into the wall, her entire body shaking. This was why she should have left. Now they had involved someone she cared about. Now it was personal. Her markings flickered as her chest heaved with anger, and she crumpled the note in her hand before turning to walk out the door.

“Where do you think you're going?” Dorian asked, arms crossed. Vex stopped, not turning around.

“They want me. And they'll have me. I'll kill them all with my bare hands.” her markings glowed, her fist clenched and bleeding from the knuckles that had finally started to heal.

Varric stepped out of the room toward her, frowning.

“You can't do this alone, Firefly. I'm coming with you.” he said gently, stepping up beside her. Dorian was the next to move toward her.

“And what kind of gentleman would I be if I allowed you to take these slavers out on your own? Preposterous.” he said, winking as he joined Varric at her side. Aria also strode to her side, reaching for her bleeding hand with healing magic in her palms, smiling at her as she healed her.

“I'm coming too. I will not abandon Cassandra.” Aria's voice cut through the anger and set Vex's mind a bit more at ease. With her head a bit clearer, her hand mostly fixed, and a group of warriors at her side, she was ready to face down whatever was waiting for them in that cave.

~

“We're only asking you one more time, Seeker. What do you know about the slave Avexia Suledin?” asked a man holding a brand at the end over a fire. Cassandra's face was blank with a hint of anger. By now, she had pieced together who they wanted, and she would not give Vex up. Even if it meant her life.

“I already told you I do not know who you're talking about.” she said, her voice wavering a bit. They must have noticed the weakness, as one of them slammed a pommel into her gut. She fell forward, coughing and gasping for air. Up until this point, she had been able to get herself back up, but her body was shaking. She was covered in bruises and gashes from her struggle against them and their retaliation, but still she refused. She would not allow them to subject Vex to this again. Never again.

Two men grabbed her arms, hauling her up and ripping the back of her tunic open. She hung limply between them, barely able to lift her head. The leader shook his head, lifting her chin while she glared up at him.

“Why protect someone that doesn't give a shit about you?” he shoved her head back down roughly, “Do it. We'll see if she wants to talk after.”

Cassandra's fight came back in a burst of fury, but a knee slammed into her chest knocked the air out of her lungs once more, the distinct crack of her ribs breaking echoing through the cave. But the ache of broken bones was nothing compared to what followed. The burn started dull, but swiftly became too much for her to handle as the brand was pressed against her back. She choked out tears, gritting her teeth and gasping. But still she would not break.

“And she will know no fear of death, for the Maker shall be her beacon and her shield, her foundation and her sword.” she murmured as they dropped her, unconscious before she hit the ground.

~

They approached the cave warily, Vex's anger finally down to something manageable. She pulled a vial of lyrium from her bag, tipping it into her mouth before turning to address the rest of them.

“I... really should do this alone. I know you came to help me, but I am the one they're after. You should not involve yourselves.”

They all shook their heads, smiling.

“We aren't letting you go in there alone. You focus on Cassandra, we'll take care of the rest.” Aria said, motioning to the cave. Vex turned to it, walking into it with her head high, backed by those she called friends; a word she hadn't used in a long time.

The leader of the slavers stepped forward as if he was going to talk, but Vex was not in a talking mood. Before he could utter a word, her hand was buried in his chest. His heart crushed, he fell to the ground. She looked up at the others, flicking blood off her hand.

“Anyone else?” she asked. The slavers rushed her, and she lunged through them, the others with her taking care of the bulk of them. She was focused on deeper in the cave, ghosting through combatants, taking hearts with her where she could. But her goal was at the back of the cave, and she wasn't leaving here without her alive.

A new brand of anger fell over the elf when she looked up and saw Cassandra laying on the ground. Not moving. Her markings flashed blindingly bright when she dove into the group of slavers, ripping them apart. Tearing their hearts from their chests. Brushing off every landed sword blow, not even feeling the steel biting into her skin. She fought with the ferocity of a cornered predator, and when she was done she stood in a pool of blood.

Dropping the final corpse, she fell to her knees beside Cassandra, tears threatening to stain her cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to touch her. She didn't want to know. But not knowing wouldn't bring her back if she was...

“No, you can't be.” she said, her voice cracking, “You can't leave me like this. Not like this.”

Vex reached down, passing a hand over the brand on her back, the pattern reminiscent of the Seeker chestplate she always wore in Haven. The tears stung Vex's eyes and she shook her head, turning Cassandra over, careful of her back as she did. Her head fell against Cassandra's chest as she let out a stifled sob, holding her broken body close, memories flooding her vision.

“Please. Please don't leave me.” she whispered, gripping her tighter, “Cassandra, I...”

Vex felt Cassandra's breath on her cheek. Alive. She was alive. Jolting up, the elf pulled the unconscious Seeker onto her back, carrying her back to the group that was looking for her. Aria rushed over, concerned.

“Vex, thank the Creators. Is she-”

“Alive. But in bad shape.” Vex finished her sentence. Aria nodded, raising her hand to touch Cassandra's arm, flowing a little healing into it. Enough to keep her stable until they reached Haven. And that was enough for Vex.


	7. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7, in which the writer is not sorry for Leliana's joke.

A week she had been unconscious. Vex grunted as she kicked a recruit away, ducking as another swung at her. No changes in condition. Nothing. She knocked another recruit down, ghosting through two in front of her and stopped her daggers before she beheaded them, blades pressed against the backs of their necks. Their chests were heaving, the two on the ground holding their knee and stomach, respectively. Vex pulled her daggers away and sheathed them, scowling at Cullen as he approached.

“There’s not an ounce of improvement, Cullen. It’s like they regress in their fighting ability every day.” she snapped, shifting her gaze momentarily to the group of frightened recruits. Cullen dismissed them with a wave.

“Vex, I know you’re worried, but you need to keep yourself together. It’s of no use to be so hard on the recruits, even if they need the practice-”

“Don’t tell me how to deal with this, Commander.” came her sharp response, tears starting to well in her eyes, “You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

Cullen frowned, opening his mouth to speak but cut off by a familiar throat clear. Leliana stood with her hands folded behind her back, staring him down for a moment before turning her attention to the angry elf in front of her.

“I would like to steal a moment of Vex’s time, if I could, Commander.” she said gently, a nod from Cullen coming in response. Vex followed her when she turned to walk a bit down the road, scowling at the ground.

“We never did have a chance to talk before you ran out to go after Cassandra. Not that I’m criticizing at all, your instinctual reaction may very well have been what saved her life, but we need to discuss the danger your presence brings to the Inquisition.” she stopped once they were away from the gate, turning to face her. Vex’s face grew stern when her eyes met the Spymaster’s.

“If you think it would be better that I leave, Nightingale, I would at least like to wait until Cassandra is awake.” her voice cracked at the end of the sentence, and she looked away.

“That is not at all what I think.” Leliana said, tilting her head, “I heard what Cassandra said to you before all this happened, I was on my way to find you when I overheard the conversation. I think it unwise to leave at this time.”  
“Then why pull me aside?” the elf asked, incredulous.

“Because if the slavers are moving against us, we need to know how to prepare ourselves. And you are the only person who knows them inside and out.”  
Vex dropped her head in understanding. “Just tell me what you need to know.”

Leliana beckoned her forward, gaze lingering almost hungrily on the elf as she stepped up beside her, leading her up to her quarters. With a curious head tilt, she spoke up once more as they walked

“There is another matter. Something that happened a while ago. Do remember being in Denerim last year?”

Vex quirked an eyebrow at her, cheeks flushed as the hazy memory of a drunken threesome fogged her mind. “Yes, why do you ask?”

The way Leliana smirked caused the realization to hit her like a fireball to the chest. _She was in that threesome._ Vex's face paled.

“Oh. _Oh_.”

The lust in Nightingale's eyes was undeniable. And voracious was her appetite.

~

Cassandra woke with a start, and would have leapt from the bed if not for the searing pain in her back, immediately looking around to see where she was. Aria set a hand against her shoulder gently, shaking her head.

“Cassandra, you need to rest.” she said softly, encouraging her to lay back down. Cassandra relented, turning to face Aria, who sat in a chair beside the bed she was in.

“What happened? I remember slavers from Tevinter and-” her brow was furrowed for a moment before her eyes widened, “Vex! Is Vex-”

“She’s fine, Seeker. Don’t you worry.” Aria said, chuckling softly, “She’s hardly left your side, I finally convinced her to blow off some steam just before you woke.”

Tension seemed to melt off the Seeker after Aria finished speaking. “These slavers, they were after her. I did not tell them anything.”

“It doesn’t matter now. Vex tore through twenty or more of them to get to you; she reacted the moment she found out what happened. I hate to admit it, but if not for her we may not have gotten to you in time.”

Her eyes drifted away from the Herald and to the floor. Vex had come after her, off the directive of the others. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks as she remembered the fight they had before she was kidnapped, and how she had almost…

“Is something the matter, Cassandra?” Aria asked, breaking her train of thought. Cassandra sighed in response.

“Nothing you can help with, Herald. I am just…”

“A little confused?”

The Seeker’s eyes flicked over to Aria, who was smiling a little _too_ deviously. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

“What does that smile imply?”

“I heard about your conversation in the back room on our way to rescue you. You stopped yourself.”

“I do not know to what you are referring, but I assure you-”

“Don’t lie to me, Cassandra. You’re terrible at it.”

The silence that followed was tense as Cassandra wrestled with how to explain herself. She had wanted to do more, to tell her more. To make Vex understand why she didn’t want her to leave, and now even more so why she’s grateful that she didn’t. The feeling she had for the elf confused and consumed her, eating away at the back of her mind for several weeks. If anyone else had asked, she would have outright denied their existence entirely, but the knowing way Aria’s bright silver eyes burrowed their way into her skull – she couldn’t deny the accusation. Letting out a labored sigh, she gently pushed herself up, cringing at the pain. Aria took the opportunity to reach for some new bandages as Cassandra spoke.

“I am… unsure how to explain this. Vex is- important to me. I do not want to see her out fighting alone, even if her presence does pose a threat to the Inquisition.” her face was flushed, and Aria giggled softly, “It is selfish of me not to think of the bigger picture, but I cannot imagine being away from her.”

“Do you love her?”

The words pierced her heart, her thoughts suddenly snapping to Regalyan. A pang of grief caused her to grit her teeth, the question grated against her mind. Was that what this was? No, it couldn’t be. She couldn’t let it be.

“I… do not know.” she finally sighed, eyes locked with the floor, “I’ve never quite felt this way about anyone, even about…”

Aria nodded, finished with the bandages, and reached down to pull her chin up. “Cassandra, you are a strong and brave woman. Do not let fear of the unknown keep you from your own happiness. When you’re ready, when you figure things out, don’t hesitate.”

The Herald turned to leave, but Cassandra grabbed her cloak to stop her.

“I… would like to see her. If it is not any trouble.”

Aria smiled warmly. “None at all.”

~

“You’re quite the little performer, aren’t you?” Leliana crooned, trailing a finger down between Vex’s breasts. The elf let out a soft moan as her finger continued lower, teasing her already spent lips. Vex pulled her down roughly for a kiss, the taste of her own juices fresh on Nightingale’s tongue, the sound of the door opening causing her to jolt backwards and slam her head off the headboard. Leliana tossed a blanket over the two of them while Vex cradled her head.

“Herald, did you need something?” Leliana spoke first, voice as calm and smooth as always. Aria’s face fell a bit when she saw Vex there beside her.

“Ah, Cassandra is awake. And asking for Vex. If you’re not busy.”

“No, we were just finishing up.” Nightingale’s joke was in poor taste.

Vex nearly fell out of the bed trying to get up, and had half her clothes on before Aria had even closed the door. Never had she moved that fast willingly, tearing down the main hall of the Chantry and to the medical building. She skidded to a halt in front of it, hand over the handle of the door, suddenly frozen. Anxiety washed over her. What had she done? It was one thing to spend time with Leliana but to fuck her right before coming to see Cassandra? Swallowing hard, she turned the handle and pushed open the door, guilt hanging in her chest.

Cassandra’s head shot up, her cheeks flushed with an expression of disbelief plastered across her face. She couldn’t help but smile when her eyes locked with a familiar pair of sapphire ones. She stood, grimacing at the pain it caused her.

“Vex, thank the Maker.” she huffed out.

Vex dashed to her side, trying to encourage her to relax. “Mythal’s mercy Cassandra, please, sit back down at least. You’re in no condition to be up and about yet.”

“I will be fine. I wanted to thank you. You saved my life.”

Vex flushed a bit, smiling. “No thanks necessary. It was my fault.”

The Seeker swallowed hard as she stood gazing down into those eyes. She was beautiful when she smiled. Without thinking much, she grabbed Vex’s wrist and pulled her closer, leaning down to press a soft kiss against her cheek.


	8. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 8, in which the writer is both simultaneously not sorry and also wants you to not kill her.

The next few months were eventful for the Inquisition. Their attempt at closing the Breach was successful, and there was much rejoicing up until the point where the true culprit behind the Conclave emerged. Corypheus, claiming to be one of the original Magisters to enter the Black City and create the Darkspawn. Vex had been cut off from Aria when the Archdemon attacked, but everyone had been reunited in the small camp the survivors had made in the wilderness. Aria’s reemergence had taken a load off Vex’s shoulders, and ended the seemingly eternal pacing that had taken over her actions.

Leliana continued to frequently pull Vex away for “private talks” during her time in Haven – so much so that Cassandra had started to notice. She envied the Spymaster for her ability to pull Vex’s attention so easily; ever since she had kissed her on the cheek in the medical building, she had found it more difficult to even speak around the elf. She was relieved that Vex didn’t seem to notice a difference, though she had been spending more time than normal in the Seeker’s presence. Not that Cassandra was complaining. In fact, she had found it hard to complain about much at all (even Corypheus attacking) until they had settled into Skyhold.

She ascended the stairs into the library, hearing a distinct Leliana giggle from above; normally, she wouldn’t have bothered but she confessed curiosity. What she hadn’t expected do find was to find Vex on her knees with her head buried between the Spymaster’s thighs, one of Leliana’s hands threaded encouragingly into the elf’s hair. They were far from nude, for what one would assume was this exact reason, but the action was still obvious for what it was. Leliana’s face was flushed. Cassandra’s mood fell instantaneously, her regular scowl growing on her lips. But she found it difficult to look away; taking in the sight of the elf in such a position made her simultaneously furious and slightly aroused. Her own cheeks flushed with the second thought, and she spun on her heel and stormed off, but not before a loud, disgusted huff was heard even by Solas at the bottom of the tower.

Cassandra found herself angrily slamming coppers down onto the bar next to Iron Bull. She was passed a mug, and didn’t hesitate in drinking down the entire thing and gesture threateningly for another.

“Bad day, Seeker?” Bull asked, nursing his own mug.

“I would rather not discuss it.” she said curtly.

“That suits me fine, I’d rather not hear about it.” came the honest answer, and in the awkward silence that followed Cassandra’s mind reeled over what exactly she was feeling. What was she feeling? The conversation with Aria in Haven came into sharp relief in her mind at the question, and almost in response the brand scars on her back twinged. Finally she took a breath and turned to the qunari beside her.

“How can you tell the difference between love and sexual attraction? Or are those two things always connected?” she asked, drawling a bit. Iron Bull smirked at the question.

“You’re asking the wrong qunari that question. Love isn’t so prevalent in the Qun.” he responded, shrugging, “I would talk to the lovestruck Inquisitor. Rumor has it she and Solas are on the fast track to fucking on his table.”

Cassandra grimaced, finishing her drink before getting up. “This has been… enlightening.”

Iron Bull chuckled, waving a hand dismissively.

“Go, talk to the Inquisitor about your confused feelings for the tiny black-haired elf. I’m sure it’ll work out.”

The Seekers cheeks flushed, but she kept walking, pointedly glaring at everyone she passed. It wasn’t until she had bumped into her that she noticed Vex coming down the stairs from the castle, both of them losing their balance a bit. Vex’s smile fell when she saw Cassandra’s face, and she reached out to grab her arm only for Cassandra to pull away from her reach.

“Cassandra what’s-?”

“Why don’t you ask Leliana, since you seem to prefer her company over mine.” she hissed, giving the elf one last hurt glare before storming off. Vex’s heart sank and she shuffled her way into the tavern to drown the feeling in aggregio and lyirum.

~

It was weeks before they even looked at each other again. Vex would avoid missions with Cassandra as if she was the Blight itself, and Cassandra stopped frequenting places that Vex was often seen. It wasn’t until the night before the siege of Adamant Fortress that the two finally spoke once more.

Vex held the large bundle carefully as to not smash what was inside. She carried it carefully and silently up to Cassandra’s tent, and tugged the bundle open. Inside was a small bouquet of roses, and a carefully penned note. She laid the flowers on her pillow, the note beneath them, and snuck out of the tent – only to bump straight into Cassandra.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t see- Cassandra?” Vex’s eyes locked with the Seekers, and she found herself vulnerable.

“It’s quite all right.” Cassandra reached up and pulled a rose petal out of Vex’s hair, holding it up – evidently unaware that Vex had been in her tent, “From one of your trysts, I presume?”

“No.” Vex said softly, looking away from her, “Nightingale and I are no longer sleeping together. I felt it was best.”

Cassandra couldn’t conceal her relief, her face dropping into a slight smile. She tossed the petal away, grabbing Vex’s chin to tilt her head back to look in her eyes. “You made the right decision.”

A few long moments passed, both of them at war with how to continue, until an overly happy Aria came into their presence. Cassandra dropped her hand and turned her body away from Vex, both of their cheeks flushed red.

“Good! I needed to talk to both of you. I want you with me during the siege.” Aria said, suddenly turning serious, “Solas will be with us as well. I believe we are the most effective team to get in quickly and stop Lord Erimond from taking any more lives. Is this going to be a problem? I know the two of you have been avoiding-”

“Everything is fine, Inquisitor. Vex and I will be able to focus on the task at hand.” Cassandra assured her. Aria perked up, smiling.

“Wonderful to hear. Everything is prepared, get a good night’s sleep tonight. Vex, are you sure you don’t want a tent?”

“She will share mine, like we used to.” the Seeker said, not even giving Vex a chance to respond. Vex felt her cheeks heat up more.

“T-that would be fine, thank you Cassandra.”

“On that note, I leave you two at it. I have a few other things to do before I retire.” Aria walked away, winking at Vex. Vex buried her head in her hands to hide her embarrassment.

“I think I will be heading in early tonight, I am quite exhausted. Join me when you are tired, Vex.” she said, smiling softly and crawling into the tent. Vex watched her, a smile sneaking onto her lips. Tomorrow would be a day to remember.


	9. End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9, in which the writer continues to torture everyone.

Vex woke to Cassandra’s absence, the tent entirely packed save Vex’s bedroll. Something fell off her chest when she sat up, a cloak falling over whatever it was. Cassandra’s cloak? She lifted it, and under the fabric laid an embrium flower. Smiling, she picked it up and looked at it closely, cradling it close to her for a moment. Who had left it? Surely it wasn’t-

“You are awake, thank the Maker. I was starting to think you would sleep all morning.” came Cassandra’s voice from the opening of the tent. Vex jumped in alarm, hugging the flower against herself.

“Creators! You scared me!”

The Seeker looked down at Vex hugging the flower against herself and blushed, looking away from her.

“You should get ready, it will not be long before the Inquisitor decides to move.”  
Vex nodded, holding the cloak out to her. Cassandra shook her head, pushing her hand gently back against her chest.

“Keep it. I have others, and yours is in tatters.”

The elf held the cloak tight against her, watching as Cassandra’s shadow disappeared. A smile crept onto her face as she looked at the pile of fabric on her lap, the flower still clutched against her chest. She didn’t know what this meant for the future, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t a bad thing.

~

Despite the seemingly endless string of demons populating Adamant Fortress, the group reached Hawke with relative ease. Having Stroud as backup was a huge help; with the two additional fighters it was not long before they were running after a fleeing Lord Erimond. The dragon, however, stalked them at every turn. Vex whirled around and fired an arrow at the beast just as it formed a ball of red lyrium and shot it from its mouth. The impact made the elf stumble back, and she reached out to grab the closest thing to her to regain her balance. The pain that shot through her hand as a shard of red lyrium entered and exited it told her that she had grabbed the wrong thing. She yelped softly as she pulled her hand off the spike carefully, the dragon letting out a throaty laugh.

Aria rushed over to her, taking her hand and trying to knit together the muscle before closing up her skin. The hole in her hand shrank slowly as the Inquisitor watched, grimacing a bit.

“There, come on. We don’t have much time.” she said softly, tugging Vex along. The elf met Cassandra’s worried glance for a movement before jogging forward to keep up with the party.

There was a lot of indistinguishable shouting between Clarel and Erimond before the dragon literally grabbed her like a mabari grabbing a toy. The group skidded to a halt when Clarel used her final breaths to fire a powerful spell at the dragon, and the ancient bridge that the dragon slammed down into began to crumble under their feet. They ran, but the bridge’s descent was faster, Aria the first to fall. The Inquisitor did the only thing she could think of to save them, throwing open a rift that they all tumbled into.

Vex landed crouched on all fours, standing up quickly enough and rushing to Cassandra’s side to see if she was hurt. To the elf’s relief, she was fine; albeit a bit flustered from her fussing. With everyone back on their feet, Aria called them together.

“If this is the afterlife the Chantry owes me an apology, this looks nothing like the maker’s bosom.” Hawke commented sarcastically, frowning and crossing her arms. Vex spared her a sympathetic look as Solas explained what had likely happened.

“So if we can get to that rift-” Aria gestured to the huge rift in the distance, “-I should be able to get it open and we can literally just walk right out.”

“Hypothetically, yes.” Solas said, turning to face the rift, “However, one would assume that the demon Erimond was trying to bring through will be nearby as well.”

“Well. Shit.” Aria sighed out, running a hand through her hair. Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the glowing rift, and with a purpose they began moving deeper into the Fade.

Things were going too smoothly, thanks to the help of the spirit that took the shape of Divine Justinia. Vex felt that something was off in her bones, and no sooner did the thought cross her mind that a soft, masculine voice filled their heads.

_“Ah. We have a visitor. Some silly little girl comes to steal the fear I so kindly lifted from her shoulders.”_

The entire party looked around, alarmed. Vex’s grip on her daggers tightened. It was a demon of fear and nightmares.

_“You should have thanked me and left your fear where it lay, forgotten.”_

Aria’s face filled with anger. She twirled her staff, waiting for something to kill.

_“You think the pain will make you stronger? What fool filled your mind with such drivel? The only one who grows stronger from your fear is me. But you are a guest here in my home, so by all means, let me return what you have forgotten.”_

The demons came suddenly, the party cutting through them easily, and as they moved through the Fade – deeper into the Nightmare’s territory – it began to taunt them further. The small fears manifested before Vex as large cockroaches, and she took great pleasure in burying her daggers in them despite her stomach turning in disgust.

_“Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din.”_

The elven from the Nightmare caught Vex off guard. Talk to me, Trickster. Your victory meant nothing. Your pride appears dead. Did it truly say that? What did that mean?

“Banal nadas.” Solas responded, his face sharpening in anger. Aria looked back at him sympathetically, before the demon tore into another.

_“Warden Stroud. How must it feel to devote your whole life to the wardens, only to watch them fall? Or worse, to know that you were responsible for their destruction? When the next Blight comes, will they curse your name?”_

“With the Maker’s blessing, we will end this wretched beast.” Stroud huffed, slicing through a cockroach. The nightmare turned next on Hawke while Aria collected more of her memories.

_“Do you think it mattered, Hawke? Do you think anything you ever did mattered? You couldn’t even save your city. How could you expect to strike down a god? Isabela is going to die, just like your family, and everyone you ever cared about.”_

“Well, that’s going to grow tiresome quickly.” Hawke said, a bit of an edge to even her voice. Then, as they approached what felt close to the end, everything got a little more personal for Vex.

_“Your Inquisitor is a fraud, Cassandra. Yet more evidence there is no Maker, that all your ‘faith’ has been for naught.”_

“Die in the void, demon.” Cassandra growled. The demon’s words struck a chord with Vex, and she slammed her daggers into a rage demon, kicking the corpse off and gritting her teeth. The demon laughed.

_“So much anger over my words, little elf. I wonder what is in your head that makes you fear?”_

Vex saw flashes of the rebellion just before the Nightmare dug its claws into her mind.

_“Little slave, your chains are broken but you will never be free. Did you think you could escape them when you cannot escape your own guilt? It was your fault so many died, and everyone else you love will die the same as them. Can you see it still when you dream, the streets of Minrathous running with the blood of your kin? You were a coward then, and you are a coward now. The only thing you are free of now is the affection of the one you desire. Did you think you had a chance? Why would someone so pure in heart and purpose look upon someone so dirty with anything more than disdain?”_

“Fuck off.” she snarled, gripping the side of her head. The Nightmare was trying to break her. She wouldn’t let him. She let blind rage push her, not hearing any more of what he was saying, not stopping until Aria had finally found the rift. But the massive demon standing before it was a problem. The spirit portraying the Divine shot into it, sacrificing itself to distract the beast. But not before the Nightmare itself descended.

It appeared almost like an Arcane Horror, but none of them wanted to take the time to describe the differences. It jumped from fighter to fighter, disappearing and reappearing, striking where there were openings. Everyone was already exhausted, and pinning this demon down seemed to be impossible.

Vex had her blade buried in a cockroach when the Nightmare appeared behind her, impaling her through the abdomen with his claws. She felt blood rising in her throat, and when everyone else looked over it felt like time had stopped. The elf looked down, seeing the demon’s claws protruding from her, feeling blood starting to leak from the new holes in her body. Before it had a chance to react, Vex reached down and gripped one of the claws, pulling him closer to her. She drew her dagger out of the small fear demon and ghosted, whirling around and beheading the Nightmare. His body fell as her dagger clattered to the ground. She reached for it, sheathing it and falling down on all fours. She took a breath, but her body only responded with coughing. Bringing her hand up to her mouth to cover it when she coughed, she looked at it once she pulled it away. Blood. She reached down to touch one of the wounds, her eyes widening a bit when she saw her hand again.

Cassandra gathered Vex up and ushered her toward the rift, everyone running for it, until the gigantic spider demon crashed down between them and the open rift. Aria stumbled backward, Hawke and Stroud coming up on each side of her.

“We need to clear a path!” Stroud shouted, holding up his sword.

“Go, I’ll cover you!” Hawke said, reaching back for her daggers.

“No, you were right. The Grey Wardens caused this. A warden must-”

“A warden must help them rebuild. That’s _your_ job. Corypheus is _mine_.”

Vex pushed Cassandra away, stumbling forward, drawing her daggers. The Seeker grabbed her arm, but she shook her head.

“I’m as good as dead anyway. I’ll stay.” she said softly.

“Not an option!” Cassandra protested, stepping up to her as her voice cracked, “You are _not_ sacrificing yourself here.”

“I’m going to die, Cassandra.”

“Don’t say that!” she said angrily, pulling Vex back roughly. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears, and she wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly, “This is not your end. You cannot leave me, not like this. Please.”

“Cassandra-”

The Seeker shook her head, pulling back a little to look down into Vex’s eyes. The elf looked back into hers. She was afraid of losing her.

“Avexia. You are going through that rift with me, you do not get a choice.” she said, voice low and commanding even as it wavered. One arm held her firmly by the waist, the other reached up to stroke her cheek. “I need you.”

Without hesitation, Cassandra’s lips crashed against Vex’s. There was desperation there, Vex’s hands resting on the Seeker’s hips. It was in that moment that Aria directed Stroud to remain, and turned to them. Cassandra pulled away, lifting her off the ground in a bridal carry and bolting for the rift. Vex’s consciousness wavered and faded, the last image in her mind the face of Cassandra Pentaghast.


	10. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10, in which they bang ok.

It felt like years. Cassandra waited beside Vex’s bed in the medical wing, head in her hands, foot tapping impatiently. The healers had gotten to work on her immediately once they were through the rift at Adamant, but based on the amount of blood Cassandra had running down her armor from Vex’s wounds… the Seeker feared the worst. The only thing that held on to hope was that, despite the fact that she was unconscious, she was _stable_. That alone was enough to keep Cassandra at her side day after day.

Aria finished up her daily healing over Vex’s abdomen, looking up at the Seeker sympathetically. It had been a week since she had touched food; she spent every moment at the elf’s side. The Inquisitor set a hand on her shoulder. The Seeker didn’t look away from her elf.

“You need to get some air. And some food.”

“I am _fine_.” Cassandra insisted, reaching forward to stroke Vex’s hand. Aria shook her head.

“Cassandra. That’s an order, not a suggestion. If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know.”

It took a full minute for the Seeker to finally push herself out of the chair. Her body was heavy, even in the loose tunic and tights she wore. She didn’t look away from Vex, hand still clasping hers, eyes weary.

“You will be able to save her, Aria? I am not holding on to false hope?” Cassandra asked softly, feeling her eyes welling.

“I’m doing what I can.”

“That is all I can ask.” she murmured, laying Vex’s arm down and turning to leave. Aria waited for the door to close to start healing again. She was still bleeding – albeit not much, but enough that it could eventually become a problem. But that was something Cassandra didn’t need to know.  
It wasn’t until now that Vex had even shown signs of consciousness, so when she sat straight up Aria jumped back in shock.

“Vex lay back down!” she ordered, but wasn’t surprised when the elf hopped out of bed and ignored her. Then immediately collapsed to the floor.

“Why do I hurt so bad?” Vex whimpered, curling up and further agitating the wounds. Aria scowled.

“Because you’ve been bleeding out for a week. And you probably just undid the entire week of healing.” she huffed angrily, throwing the door open, “SOLAS!”

The bald elf came running, and Aria gestured to Vex on the floor before sweeping out the door to grab something. He nodded, leaning over and picking her up to place her back on the bed. Vex scowled at him.

“Don’t touch me.”

“How else are you going to get back into bed to rest?”

“I don’t need to rest, I’m fine.”

“Hardly.”

The Inquisitor returned with supplies – new bandages, salves, and rope. Solas raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.

“What do you intend on doing with that, vhenan?” he asked, an amused smirk lighting his expression.

“That depends- VEX!”

The elf had already scrambled out of the bed and was making her way slowly to the door.

“I’m fine I said! I want to see Cassandra!” she said, her voice cracking from the pain. Aria sighed, gesturing at her.

“This is why I have the rope.”

Solas wrestled her easily back down into the bed and Aria took a length of the rope and tied her wrist to a bedpost. Vex immediately tried to get up to untie it, so Aria shoved her back down, tying her other wrist to the other bedpost. She frowned, and Vex tugged at the restraints angrily.

“I wouldn’t have to do this if you would just say in bed, but you insist on being so stubborn.” Aria grumbled, pulling the bandages off. Vex had, in fact, opened her wounds back up a bit. Calling upon her deepest healing magic, she ran her hands over the wounds, exhausting herself to close them entirely. Vex cried out in both alarm and pain as her skin knitted itself back together, trying to get away but to no avail.

“Please no more!” Vex whimpered, trying to ghost herself out of the rope. She was too weak to manage it, only able to get her markings to flicker. She was scared: more afraid of the magic being used on her than bleeding to death. Her ears were pinned back as tears started to prick at the corner of her eyes. Frustration clouded her mind. Her heart was racing. And all she could do was lay there and cry. 

Solas noticed the fear and slipped out of the room to fetch the only person he knew could calm the small elf. Slipping out the door, he saw Cassandra leaning over the edge of a balcony, gazing at a piece of paper in her hand. Solas cleared his throat, and she jumped back away from him.

“Solas, I did not see you- do you need something?” she asked, hardening herself as she clutched the paper to her chest. Solas smiled.

“Avexia has awoken. She was asking for you.” he said gently, hands clasped behind his back. Cassandra didn’t even thank him, the worry in her mind growing as she dashed back to the medical wing to see Aria hobbling out the door covered in Vex’s blood.

“Tell your girlfriend if she wants to live she has to stay in bed. There’s extra rope in there if she manages to get up.” The Inquisitor grumbled the words, shuffling off to clean herself up. Cassandra threw the door open, rushing to Vex’s side.

“Cassandra, I-” Vex didn’t have a chance to finish her thought as the Seeker knelt on the bed and pressed an urgent kiss against the elf’s lips. Her whole body was shaking as she leaned over her, pulling back reluctantly to cup her cheek.

“Do not leave me again. I was terrified I had lost you.”

“I’m right here, Cassa.” the Seeker’s cheeks flushed at the shortened version of her name. Her eyes traveled down Vex’s form then back up, seeing that her wrists were tied to the bed. Cassandra’s eyebrow quirked up and she looked accusingly down at the elf beneath her.

“Why did Aria tie you up?”

Vex bit her lip, frowning a little. Cassandra smirked, knowing exactly what happened. Cheeks red, the elf huffed.

“Untie me.”

“I will do no such thing. Not yet.” the Seeker crooned, moving herself over top of Vex, straddling her on all fours. The heat in Vex’s cheeks grew when the other woman leaned down, a predatory look in her eyes. Vex smirked, then her expression fell a bit.

“Cassandra, is this what you want? Are you sure?” she asked, wanting nothing more than what was about to happen, but concerned about the Seeker’s desires. Cassandra chuckled, reaching up to stroke the elf’s cheek.

“Were I not sure, I would not be here. You _are_ what I want.” her words were soft, but as full of passion as the woman herself, “I am only sorry it took me so long to realize it.”

That was more than enough for the elf as Cassandra’s lips crashed against hers once more, the Seeker’s hands wandering down her side to her bare stomach. The feeling of her touch against the elf’s skin brought a pained shiver shooting up her spine, and she pulled against the ropes that bound her wrists, longing to touch the warrior. Cassandra pulled back and shook her head, smiling.

“Let me.” simple words that dripped like wine from her tongue, as intoxicating as the scent of her skin. Her lips pressed against Vex’s jaw, trailing down the curve of her neck and collarbone. Teeth grazed closer to more sensitive places as she moved lower, her progress hindered by the leather and metal of the elf’s armor. Her fingers made quick work of the chest piece, unlacing it and letting it fall to each side before they gently trailed up her ribs, her palm coming to rest against the soft flesh of one breast at the same time that her mouth arrived at the other.

Vex could feel herself spiraling farther away from sanity when a pleasured moan came suddenly from her throat, a response to a gentle bite of her nipple. Cassandra’s tongue swirled around the hardened nub and her fingers pinched at the other, the air in the room making the trail of saliva ice cold compared to the fire of the Seeker’s breath. A knee slowly slid itself up between her thighs and the rope dug into her wrists more as she jerked against them, pressing her clothed sex back against it. There were so many sensations it was making her head spin.

The noises Vex was making filled Cassandra’s head, fueled her to continue. Giving a final pinch and bite down on the elf’s sensitive nipples, she carefully pressed kisses down the rest of her body, skipping over her bandages and hooking her fingers into the hem of Vex’s leggings and smallclothes. With a glance up to her face for permission, she tugged them off and tossed them away, leaving the elf’s dripping lips open to the air when she spread her legs. The first inhale of her elf intoxicated her. She needed more, to taste her. She drew her tongue up the glistening slit, relishing in the flavor a moment before diving back in, probing the tip of her tongue against the small nub hidden in her folds. Vex’s squeal of delight encouraged Cassandra’s slow addition of two fingers. Hips raised off the bed, moans escaping her throat, the mere addition her Seeker’s fingers enough to push her over the edge. Vex’s walls clenched down around Cassandra’s fingers, an orgasm shaking her body; but Cassandra didn’t stop with her assault, tongue making circles around the elf’s clitoris as she slipped another finger inside. The elf’s body trembled in pleasure, another orgasm coursing through her.

“Cas~saaaa~!” she cried out, Cassandra pulling up after Vex’s climax passed, lips and cheeks covered in the elf's juices. She licked her lips, crawling up for a rough kiss, Vex able to taste what lingered of her own cum on Cassandra’s tongue. Fingers slowly pulled from the elf’s depths, the Seeker licked them clean. Vex’s tongue crossed with hers as she ran it up Cassandra’s digits, catching her mouth in another deep kiss. Bodies pressed against each other, Cassandra’s clean hand pushing hair from Vex’s flushed face as she gazed down at her.

Vex’s chest heaved as Cassandra fell into the bed beside her, sliding an arm under her and pulling her close. How many nights Vex had dreamed about this, to lay beside her in an afterglow, to be wanted by her – and now it had happened. She felt her wrists drop from the bedposts, the Seeker taking them gently and rubbing each one before threading her fingers between the elf’s. Cradled against Cassandra’s chest, both their eyes drifted closed, tangled in each other.

As Vex was on the edge of falling asleep, the Seeker leaned her forehead against the side of the elf’s, smiling and speaking softly. “I love you.”


	11. Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex spends some time courting Cassandra because I'm pretty sure everyone needed some fluff.

When Vex woke, she was hesitant to open her eyes. The warm weight of a body against hers filled her with joy, but the ache in her body still made her a bit sick. Rolling over, she winced but kept her face straight as she looked into the almost confused eyes of the Seeker.

“Cassandra, about last night-”

Cassandra pressed a finger against her lips to silence her, a soft smile on her lips.

“I always expected to be wooed by a man, with poetry and candlelight, flowers all around him. I never expected you. But that does not mean I care for you any less. I am a woman of action, as are you, and I believe the Maker brought you to me for this reason. I do not need candles and romance for that, as much as I might have wanted it.”

Vex finally smiled, exhaling a breath she had held in as the Seeker was speaking. But that wasn’t enough. If the woman she loved wanted to be courted, then she would court her once she was able.

~

The elf was finally up and moving around after a few weeks, and the only thing on her mind for those few weeks was how to impress Cassandra.

She wanted to be courted… like a lady. Only problem was, she was the _least_ ladylike woman in Skyhold. How does one even go about wooing someone like her? Vex sighed, pouring over another book of mushy poetry, not even noticing Varric peeking his head over her shoulder.

“What are you doing there, Firefly?” he asked, and Vex jumped, quickly slamming the book shut. She made a grab for it to hide it, but Varric got ahold of it and out of her reach, opening back to the page she was on.

“Varric, give it back.” she warned, frowning. Varric laughed out loud as he glanced over the poem, deciding to read it out loud for the entire library to hear.

“Do I glow from head to toe?/You’re the reason why./I glow ever brighter/with each day that passes by./It’s all because the happiness/we share keeps growing, too./That growing keeps me glowing/with the love I feel for you.” he chanted teasingly, slipping away from her when she lunged after the book, “Come on now, Firefly. We all know you glow. You can do better than that.”

Vex scowled at him, making another grab for the book. He tossed it backwards, into Dorian’s hands. Dorian promptly lit the book on fire.

“No offense Vex, but you’re not exactly what we’d call the romantic type. If you’re going to court the Lady Seeker, you’re going to need to do better than that.” Dorian said, coming to her side as she stared – horrified – at the pile of ash on the floor.

“ _Fasta vass! Kaffas! Venhedis! Festis bei umo canavarum!_ ” Vex cursed at Dorian, scowling and falling back into a nearby chair, propping her elbow up on the arm and holding her head in her hand. She took a deep breath, calming herself before looking back up at the two men that she hated the most in the entire world right now. “Okay, okay. It’s for the best that I do not do this on my own anyway. Varric, Dorian, what do you suggest?”

“Flowers, candles, and a poem called Carmenum di Amatus.” Varric said matter-of-factly. Dorian nodded with approval

“It’s what she wants, after all.” Dorian said, resting against the wall.

“How would you know what she- YOU LITTLE _SHIT_!” Vex nearly lunged out of the chair to strangle him, “You were _watching the whole time_.”

Varric shrugged, a coy smirk on his lips. “It’s not just you, Firefly. Besides, I have to get the whole story.”

Vex opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted as Leliana approached. She scowled at Varric. “So does _everyone_ know that I am doing this now?”

“Oh Vex, don’t blame Varric for this. It is fairly obvious you are attracted to Cassandra, so obvious that even someone as thick as her could see it. Now you just need to cement that fact in her eyes, make her fall for you in a way she has fallen for no one else. Despite her love confession and your steamy night under the covers.” Leliana said, her hands folded behind her back like always, “I feel that Varric’s suggestion is best. You could set everything up in the glade a mile from Skyhold, and ask her there once everything is finished.”

Vex stared at the three of them, an almost dumbfounded look on her face. “I- Have you all been in on this from the beginning? Was this the plan from day one?”

“Well, maybe not day one, but Varric and I began planning for you to do this in Haven – even when you and I were sleeping together.” Leliana said, smiling, “We knew you would eventually start chasing her, and that we should be prepared to give Cassandra an extra push. Dorian overheard us talking about it, and wanted to help.”

Vex’s gaze was blank, clearly shocked by the words coming out of Leliana’s mouth.

“I cannot even believe this.” she murmured, resting her head in her hands. She was flustered, embarrassed, and borderline agitated. Drawing her hands over her face and back through her hair, she finally relented. “Okay then. Where am I headed, since you all seem to know more about what is going on than I do.”

“I believe I may be of some use here.” Dorian piped in, stepping forward, “I believe the best place to inquire about flowers and the candles would be Val Royeaux. However, the book will be harder to come by. There is a dwarven bookseller in Redcliffe that I know had a copy of it before, speak to him and see if he still has it.”

The others nodded in agreement, and Vex’s visible response was anything but enthusiastic. “Fine, fine. Meet me at the gate in ten minutes, I need to change.” she said, waving her hand at Varric and Dorian as she shuffled past them. Her posture was somewhat slumped as she entered Solas’s chambers on the way to her own. Solas watched her with intrigue from his chair when she walked by.

“No luck on the poetry search then?” he asked, setting down the cup that she presumed was not tea. Vex scowled at him, looking up at the second level in the tower.

“So _literally everyone knows_?!” she exclaimed loudly up to the group watching her over the railing. They all laughed, and Vex stomped off to change into her armor.

~

They arrived in Val Royeaux within the day, thanks to the harts that Vex had insisted on taking rather than horses; but only after Aria had drawn Cassandra away and distracted her with reports. Patting hers on the haunches, the elf walked away from the mounts and joined up with Varric, Dorian, and Solas at the gates to the capital. She scowled at all of them, Varric and Dorian smiling almost sweetly in response to the threatening glance from their compatriot.

“If I go through all of this trouble for nothing, I am using both of your hides in the next set of armor that I commission from Dagna.” she threatened before turning and walking past the open gates. Solas walked beside her, as he was the only one remotely in her good graces- and that was a stretch.

The first item on her list was candles. As she glanced down at the paper list she held in her hand, the smell of wax floated into her nose. Turning her head, she saw a multitude of candles in a towering shelf display. She stepped carefully into the shop, smiling at the man in the Orlesian mask by the counter. Vex found herself at a loss for words, so Varric decided to speak for her.

“So, Firefly here needs something that says, ‘I love you but it’s taken me six months to admit it.’ Have anything in a similar scent, perhaps the scent of despair or lost faith in herself?”

Vex scowled darkly at the dwarf. “I want something light and sweet, that would compliment the scent of roses and the forest. Vanilla, perhaps? Yes, I think that would do fine.”

The merchant made a point to look her up and down, and her scowl moved to the Orlesian. He noticed her displeasure and hurriedly boxed up her order. Vex shoved the box into Dorian’s arms, paying the man and exiting the building without a word. She passed by the small cafe in Val Royeaux on her way up to the gardens, intending on asking one of the caretakers where the best place to get roses was, but was drawn off quickly by the scent of roses. Glancing up toward the gardens, she scaled the stairs two at a time to find the source of the scent, only to stumble upon exactly what she needed.

“Er, hello, I couldn’t help but notice-”

The florist looked up, smiling from under her large sun hat, “Need some flowers?”

“Yes, desperately. Roses. Lots of them.” Vex said, exasperated.

“We’ve got those. Where should we deliver them?”

“Skyhold. Today, if you can. There’s a plan and I-”

“Wooing a lady? Don’t worry, it’s all fine. I have a wife at home that loves her roses.”

Vex blushed, nodding and handing over the coin. The florist called one of her assistants over, and they spoke briefly before he ran off.

“They’ll be there when you return. I’m sure your lady will adore them.” said the woman, then shooed her away. Vex sighed, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing at the three people squarely at the top of her shit list.

“To Redcliffe, then.” she huffed, making her way to the city gates.

Their journey to fetch the poem book landed them in the middle of nowhere, rescuing the bookseller’s merchandise from a large group of bandits and a particularly grumpy bear. Vex wasn’t sure what she preferred to fight, but neither were at the top of her list. By the time they returned to Skyhold, the sun had set and Vex was exhausted. Solas had done the healing regiment that she required for the day on the way back from Redcliffe, and Vex had studied over the poem carefully. She wasn’t sure she was entirely ready for this – but it was worth a shot.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for giving Cassandra and Vex some attention! Feel free to send me feedback here or on tumblr @ pentaghasthell.tumblr.com!


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